JAKALOPE
When Jason Grimmer of Nasty On (and Zulu Records) fame moved to Montreal earlier this year, Vancouver lost about half a dozen supergroups. After all, Grimmer seemed to be at the epicentre of every experimental, Zulu-ian pet project. So thank God for Dave “Rave” Ogilvie and his industrial pop cooperative Jakalope. Producer extraordinaire Ogilvie (aka punk rock’s answer to David Foster) has enlisted the services of none other than Sean Stubbs, who once had the distinct honour of being SNFU’s 203rd drummer. The rest of his rotating cast of musicians, who will play Richard’s on Richards on Friday (December 15), are so hip, we here at the Straight had to phone Zulu’s new generation of staffers to get the goods on them. Keeping the age-old tradition of scenester collectives alive on the West Coast is a lot of responsibility for just one person. With that in mind, let’s hope East Van superstar Stephen McBean doesn’t book a one-way to Hogtown or poor Ogilvie will truly be the last man standing.

JOAN JETT AND THE BLACKHEARTS
You know you’ve reached iconic status when you’re scheduled to appear at the same venue that such greats as Steven Seagal perform at when they’re in town. Yes, the godmother of punk will be rocking out with her Blackhearts at Richmond’s River Rock Show Theatre on Saturday (December 16). Until that Runaways reunion comes along, this will be the next best thing to discovering a mint copy of Bad Reputation, which for some reason is harder to find these days than Lita Ford. Making one wonder who scheduled the tour, the Joaner will be competing with not only the lure of black-jack tables this swing through town but also one of the busiest nights of the year. But if you don’t have at least three Christmas parties to attend, you know where to be if you truly love rock ’n’ roll.

VAN DJANGO
It’s easy to see why swing jazz was the hippest music in Europe in the ’30s and ’40s, with its danceable rhythms, elegant melodies, sweet harmonies, and the brilliant compositions of Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli. Vancouver quartet Van Django maintains the musical tradition of the mercurial pair from the Hot Club of France, and gives it contemporary colours and flavours. Featuring VSO violinist Cameron Wilson, guitarist Budge Schachte, cellist Finn Manniche, and bassist Laurence Mollerup, Van Django celebrates the release of its debut album Tiptoe Trip this Saturday (December 16) at St. James Hall.

WHISKEY HOLLOW BOUND
Good old boys and bad young girls with a yen for the high lonesome sound of bluegrass and mountain music should head on down to Whiskey Hollow Bound at the ANZA Club this Sunday (December 17). The event is a fundraiser for a compilation album featuring six local acts: Dyad, the Mountain Bluebirds, Redgrass, Viper Central, Plough, and the Breakmen. Appalachian-roots-music bands from B.C. are creating a buzz these days across Canada and in the U.K. This show will make it clear why.